Zirconium Silicate Prices Rise Among Supply and Trade Challenges in the U.S. and Europe
- 11-Mar-2025 6:00 PM
- Journalist: Nina Jiang
The Zirconium Silicate market experienced a price increase in both the U.S. and European markets in February 2025. In Europe, prices increased due to tight supplies in the region, even though demand from the construction sector was still weak. In the U.S., Zirconium Silicate prices were affected by higher costs for imported materials, but demand remained stable.
Key Takeaways:
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Zirconium Silicate prices surged in both the U.S. and Europe, due to supply shortages and higher import costs.
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In Europe, Zirconium Silicate prices surged regardless of weak demand from the construction sector, ceramics, refractory materials, and glass industries.
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European suppliers struggled with tight supply, forcing price hikes, while U.S. buyers faced logistical challenges in securing materials.
In the U.S., market observed an increasing trend in February for Zirconium Silicate powder DDP Texas (USA) as prices increased by 2%. The price trend was influenced by ongoing supply issues and trade policies. While increased cost of imported material from the European region influenced the regional market prices in the US.
The construction sector showed mixed signals, with high demand for workers but not enough skilled labor available which causes wages to rise, making projects more expensive. Meanwhile, the construction spending fell by 0.2% in January 2025 as per Fred data. The recently announced tariffs on Mexican, Canadian, and Chinese imports further pushed up costs of the material in the regional market. Consequently, these factors overall influenced the price trend of Zirconium Silicate in the US in this month.
Similarly, the European Zirconium Silicate prices saw an upsurge in prices in this period amid tight supply situations. However, the demand from the downstream industries particularly ceramics, refractory materials and glass industries remained subdued amid struggling construction sector in Europe. Germany, France, and Italy all showed signs of a recession, and new orders have continued to decline. Even though demand for Zirconium Silicate was not strong, supply shortages still led to higher prices. Civil engineering activity dropped sharply, subcontractor costs increased, and businesses remained cautious about the future.
Moreover, the Zirconium silicate market in both the region was influenced by trade and imports which played a big role in shaping the market. The U.S. depends on imported Zirconium Silicate, and new tariffs had made those imports more expensive. On the other side, European suppliers struggled with tight supply, forcing buyers to increase the product prices. However, logistical problems made it difficult to secure enough material to meet demand.
According to ChemAnalyst, Zirconium Silicate prices are expected to drop in March as demand weakens in both the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. market might see some improvement, if trade policies change, but construction activity is likely to remain silent. In Europe, economic recovery will rely on government support and better demand, but overall demand is expected to stay low.